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Thursday, July 28, 2016

The common grackle or "Quiscalus Quiscula" is the largest of three types of grackle and has a status of least concern. The males have black or purple feathers with a green or blue iridescence and the females are mainly brown throughout. They reside in the East and Southeast parts of North America. However, they will move north and central in order to breed. They are omnivorous and will forage the grounds, shallow waters and shrubs for things like insects, berries, grains or even other birds. They do what ever it takes to get food. They are usually in large groups and the males will begin to sing a very high pitch, scratchy song and perform a dance in order to find a mate.They rub other insects on their body to get rid of parasites and despite the common thought of these birds being regular stupid black birds, the Common Grackle can be quite clever and cunning.

Wednesday, July 27, 2016

Tufted Titmouse is a large bird coming from the small bird category. It has gray upper parts, pale gray underparts, and rust brown flanks. Its head has dark gray cap and crest, pale face and white eye ring. they are common east of the Great Plains in the woodlands and Midwestern United States. they started out in Mississippi and now make their way up as far as Canada. Tufted titmice breed during march through may and average around 8 eggs per season. Also they build their own nests only a few miles from where they fly. The nests are made from other animal hairs and feathers. They are very active birds and often seen flying around in trees and hanging upside down looking for food. Mostly are known for singing and singing their most famous song "Peter-Peter-Peter."

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

The Mallard Duck, though relatively simple and common, is quite the interesting avian. Anas platyrynchos, its scientific name, means flat billed duck in Greek (platyrynchos) and Latin (anas). The Mallard can primarily be found in wetlands in North America, migrating southwards and northwards during the early fall and late winter respectively. The mallard is also a good example of sexual dimorphism, with males possessing the iconic iridescent green head and yellow bill while females are mottled brown throughout. In courtship, mallard drakes attempt to impress the hens, who select mates, by engaging in several "dances," such as a head bob. One of the more interesting things about the mallard duck is how its diet changes based on its habitat and time of year- when insects begin to produce offspring, the mallard eats eggs and larvae along with its normal seeds and aquatic vegetation. Furthermore, mallards that live in places with humans are more friendly to the people because they are sometimes fed by them.